List of Players Invited to Attend NHL Training Camps 2009

[apsco17]

http://whl.ca/members/action/viewArticle/id/11595

WHL Announces 138 Players Invited to Attend NHL Training Camps

Calgary, AB – The Western Hockey League is proud to announce that 138 WHL players are attending NHL training camps this season.

All of the 138 players on the list are eligible to return to the WHL for the 2009-10 season.

Of the 138 players attending NHL training camps, 85 were selected by NHL teams in the NHL Entry Draft while 53 were invited to NHL camps as free agents. In addition, 33 of the WHL players attending NHL training camps are signed to NHL entry-level contracts.

The defending WHL Champion Kelowna Rockets will see 12 players attend NHL training camps, which is the most of any WHL club. The Calgary Hitmen, and the Saskatoon Blades will each send 11 players to NHL camps while the Vancouver Giants, Lethbridge Hurricanes and 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup host Brandon Wheat Kings will all see 10 players attend NHL training camps.

All 22 WHL clubs will see at least one player attend an NHL training camp.

Each year, WHL graduates make up a significant percentage of players who play in the NHL. In 2008-09, WHL graduates accounted for over 20 per cent of all players who played at least one game in the NHL.

The following is a list of WHL players, by team, who will attend NHL training camps for the 2009-10 season:

BRANDON WHEAT KINGS (10)
(Name, NHL Club, Draft year/Free Agent, Signed Y/N)

Keith Aulie, Calgary Flames, 2007, Yes
Matt Calvert, Columbus Blue Jackets, 2008, No
Jay Fehr, Minnesota Wild, F/A, No
Scott Glennie, Dallas Stars, 2009, No
Jordan Hale, Ottawa Senators, F/A, No
Brodie Melynchuk, San Jose Sharks, F/A, No
Toni Rajala, Edmonton Oilers, 2008, Yes
Colby Robak, Florida Panthers, 2008, No
Brayden Schenn, Los Angeles Kings, 2009, No
Alexander Urbom, New Jersey Devils, 2009, No

CALGARY HITMEN (11)
Joel Broda, Washington Capitals, 2008, No
Rigby Burgart, San Jose Sharks, F/A, No
Kris Foucault, Minnesota Wild, 2009, No
Martin Jones, Los Angeles Kings, F/A, Yes
Ryan Kerr, Washington Capitals, F/A, No
Brandon Kozun, Los Angeles Kings, 2009, No
Alex Plante, Edmonton Oilers, 2007, Yes
Paul Postma, Atlanta Thrashers, 2007, Yes
Ian Schultz, St. Louis Blues, 2007, Yes
Brett Sonne, St. Louis Blues, 2007, Yes
Michael Stone, Phoenix Coyotes, 2008, No

CHILLIWACK BRUINS (4)
Ryan Howse, Calgary Flames, 2009, No
Roman Horak, New York Rangers, 2009, No
Brandon Manning, Toronto Maple Leafs, F/A, No
Mitch McColm, Vancouver Canucks, F/A, No

EDMONTON OIL KINGS (6)
Brett Breitkreuz, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Michael Burns, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Adrian Van de Mosselaer, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Torrie Jung, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Brent Raedeke, Detroit Red Wings, F/A, Yes
Tomas Vincour, Dallas Stars, 2009, No

EVERETT SILVERTIPS (7)
Cameron Abney, Edmonton Oilers, 2009, No
Byron Froese, Chicago Blackhawks, 2009, No
Radko Gudas, Los Angeles Kings, F/A, No
Thomas Heemskerk, San Jose Sharks, F/A, No
Tyler Maxwell, Los Angeles Kings, F/A, No
Rasmus Rissanen, Carolina Hurricanes, 2009, No
Kellan Tochkin, Vancouver Canucks, F/A, Yes

KAMLOOPS BLAZERS (6)
Dalibor Bortnak, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No (Won’t attend due to injury)
Jimmy Bubnick, Atlanta Thrashers, 2009, No
Giffen Nyren, Minnesota Wild, F/A, No
Tyler Shattock, St. Louis Blues, 2009, No
Zak Stebner, Dallas Stars, F/A, No
C.J. Stretch, San Jose Sharks, F/A, No

KELOWNA ROCKETS (12)
Cody Almond, Minnesota Wild, 2007, No
Mikael Backlund, Calgary Flames, 2007, Yes
Tyson Barrie, Colorado Avalanche, 2009, No
Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars, 2007, Yes
Evan Bloodoff, Phoenix Coyotes, 2009, No
Lucas Bloodoff, Phoenix Coyotes, F/A, No
Collin Bowman, Ottawa Senators, F/A, No
Mitchell Callahan, Detroit Red Wings, 2009, No
Colin Long, Phoenix Coyotes, 2008, No
Brandon McMillan, Anaheim Ducks, 2008, No
Tyler Myers, Buffalo Sabres, 2008, No
Stepan Novotny, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Kyle St. Denis, Dallas Stars, F/A, No

KOOTENAY ICE (4)
Kevin King, Minnesota Wild, F/A, No
Brayden McNabb, Buffalo Sabres, 2009, No
Hayden Rintoul, Montreal Canadiens, F/A, No
Dustin Sylvester, Anaheim Ducks, F/A, No

LETHBRIDGE HURRICANES (10)
Carter Ashton, Tampa Bay Lightning, 2009, No
Carter Bancks, San Jose Sharks, F/A, No
Kyle Beach, Chicago Blackhawks, 2008, Yes
Zach Boychuk, Carolina Hurricanes, 2008, Yes
Austin Fyten, Detroit Red Wings, F/A, No
Dwight King, Los Angeles Kings, 2007, Yes
Eric Mestery, Washington Capitals, 2008, No
Luca Sbisa, Philadelphia Flyers, 2008, Yes
Colton Sceviour, Dallas Stars, 2007, Yes
Brennan Yadlowski, Philadelphia Flyers, F/A, No

MEDICINE HAT TIGERS (6)
Tyler Ennis, Buffalo Sabres, 2008, No
Mark Isherwood, Boston Bruins, F/A, No
Tristan King, Dallas Stars, F/A, No
Matt Konan, Anaheim Ducks, F/A, No
Tomas Kundratek, New York Rangers, 2008, Yes
Linden Vey, Los Angeles Kings, 2009, No

MOOSE JAW WARRIORS (2)
Travis Hamonic, New York Islanders, 2008, No
Matt MacKay, Minnesota Wild, F/A, No

PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS (6)
Spencer Bennett, Calgary Flames, 2009, No
Travis Ehrhardt, Detroit Red Wings, F/A, Yes
Tayler Jordan, Columbus Blue Jackets, F/A, No
Kurtis Mucha, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Brett Ponich, St. Louis Blues, 2009, No
Luke Walker, New York Rangers, F/A, No

PRINCE ALBERT RAIDERS (1)
Ryan Button, Boston Bruins, 2009, No

PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS (2)
Dana Tyrell, Tampa Bay Lightning, 2007, Yes
Marek Viedensky, San Jose Sharks, 2009, No

RED DEER REBELS (6)
Willie Coetzee, Detroit Red Wings, F/A, No
Landon Ferraro, Detroit Red Wings, 2009, No
Tommi Kivisto, Carolina Hurricanes, 2009, No
Darcy Kuemper, Minnesota Wild, 2009, No
Cass Mappin, Columbus Blue Jackets, F/A, No
Justin Weller, Phoenix Coyotes, 2009, No

REGINA PATS (4)
Matt Delahey, New Jersey Devils, 2008, No
Jordan Eberle, Edmonton Oilers, 2008, Yes
Garrett Mitchell, Washington Capitals, 2009, No
Colten Teubert, Los Angeles Kings, 2008, Yes

SASKATOON BLADES (11)
Stefan Elliott, Colorado Avalanche, 2009, No
Burke Gallimore, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals, 2008, Yes
Derek Hulak, Edmonton Oilers, F/A, No
Sam Klassen, New York Rangers, F/A, Yes
Mylan Kytnar, Edmonton Oilers, 2007, Yes
Adam Morrison, Philadelphia Flyers, 2009, No
Jyri Niemi, New York Islanders, 2008, No
Gaelan Patterson, Calgary Flames, 2009, No
Travis Toomey, Atlanta Thrashers, F/A, No
Teigan Zahn, Chicago Blackhawks, 2008, No

SEATTLE THUNDERBIRDS (7)
Sena Acolatse, Phoenix Coyotes, F/A, No
Jacob DeSerres, Philadelphia Flyers, 2008, No
Brenden Dillon, Pittsburgh Penguins, F/A, No
Thomas Hickey, Los Angeles Kings, 2007, Yes
Jim O’Brien, Ottawa Senators, 2007, Yes
Prab Rai, Vancouver Canucks, 2008, No
Stefan Warg, Anaheim Ducks, 2008, No

SPOKANE CHIEFS (6)
Drayson Bowman, Carolina Hurricanes, 2007, Yes
Jared Cowen, Ottawa Senators, 2009, No
Levko Koper, Atlanta Thrashers, 2009, No
Tyler Johnson, Minnesota Wild, F/A, No
James Reid, Vancouver Canucks, F/A, No
Mitch Wahl, Calgary Flames, 2008, No

SWIFT CURRENT BRONCOS (5)
Morgan Clark, Vancouver Canucks, 2007, No
Justin Dowling, Pittsburgh Penguins, F/A, No
Cody Eakin, Washington Capitals, 2009, No
John Negrin, Calgary Flames, 2007, Yes
Geordie Wudrick, Los Angeles Kings, 2008, No

TRI-CITY AMERICANS (2)
Chet Pickard, Nashville Predators, 2008, Yes
Tyler Schmidt, Minnesota Wild, F/A, No

VANCOUVER GIANTS (10)
Jonathon Blum, Nashville Predators, 2007, Yes
Lance Bouma, Calgary Flames, 2008, No
Kevin Connaughton, Vancouver Canucks, 2009, No
Craig Cunningham, New York Rangers, F/A, No
Evander Kane, Atlanta Thrashers, 2009, Yes
Brent Regner, Columbus Blue Jackets, 2008, Yes
Tyson Sexsmith, San Jose Sharks, 2007, Yes
Nolan Toigo, Vancouver Canucks, F/A, No
Jamie Tucker, Columbus Blue Jackets, F/A, No
James Wright, Tampa Bay Lightning, 2008, No

© Canadian Hockey League 2009

[thewordbird]

That is a very informative listing.

Care to peruse my latest Chiller Instinct NHL Top Prospect Guide for 2009-2010? I can be reached at grinderhockey AT GMAIL DOTCOM if you have questions, comments, or the like.

Also, travel to www.chillerinstinct.com for new content and stories every week. I live in BC and grew up watching the WHL, so I love to keep the DUB in teh foreground. I also forge a podcast at www.bluelinetalkradio.com in which I occasionally guest host, but you can find mine a little further down as 'The Chiller Instinct Report."

There are a number of WHL alum, such as Evander Kane #25 and Jamie Benn at #13. Below is an excerpt from OHL star Tavares for an example:

14 – John Tavares (http://eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=9223), 6’0”- 195 lbs
New York Islanders, Centre, 19

Much ballyhoo has gone into the development, drafting, and projection of ‘wunderkind’ Tavares. The Islanders held onto the number one draft position via the lottery and despite speculation that management may select differently, the club opted for the OHL record-breaking goals leader. The pressure packed environment of the fishbowl is lessened slightly by his draft to Long Island; Tavares will be afforded every opportunity to succeed.

With the demands that encircle a youngster with turning around a franchise that has been in relocation conversations and has been generally mismanaged for years, there is no other that may be up to the task. "I’ve learned over the years in junior, and growing up, about being a high-profile guy, and getting a lot of attention," Tavares told nhl.com writer Todd Kimberley on 17 September 2009. "Yeah, it’s not always the easiest position, but I don’t mind handling it, stepping up in the pressure situations or being counted on for a lot of things.”

Early on, Tavares has been skating with Doug Weight and Sean Bergenheim. The 38-year-old Weight from Detroit said during the first couple of days of Isles’ training camp, "there’s a reason he’s been highly touted for as long as he’s been. Obviously, anyone picked that high has a tremendous amount of talent. He’s shown that. He has a great set of hands and a mind for the game."


Kind regards and happy season!

Robin Keith Thompson